In the Lunchroom of Tellius High School
by shadowcat15
Summary: Soren is caught in Elena's 'Why You Should Eat Right' speech and looks for ways to escape.


Title: In The Lunchroom of Tellius High School

Author: shadowcat15

Rating: PG

Pairing(s) :Ike/Soren, Hector/Florina, Boyd/Mist, Oscar/Tanith, Mia/Rhys

Notes: This is a different writing style than normal for me, so any feedback would be much appreciated.

Having a parent on staff can be quite tiresome. Having one parent on staff and the other behind the lunchroom counter constantly trying to force cafeteria-defined 'healthy food' down your throat is next to exhausting.

When Elena decided she was tired of being a house-wife and began working in the high school cafeteria, Ike dealt with his mother much the same way he'd been dealing with her the majority of his life; by stammering something about having to be over there and shoving skinny Soren in front of her, letting her Mom Instincts do the rest.

Soren had always been small, and at age seventeen he held little hope that he would grow much more. Abandoned around age three in The Convoy, the local supermarket, he'd hidden from the loud noises and people in a play-tent for several days until a blue-haired toddler who had wandered away from his parents waddled in and sat, refusing to leave. Soren's three year old instincts had told him that while it didn't matter what happened to _him_, there was no way he was letting the bright eyed boy suffer the same fate. Hand in hand the two had gone to the customer service counter and it was there that Elena and Greil were waiting to embrace their son. Quickly they noticed the dark haired child who's hand Ike wouldn't let go of.

Two hours later they were walking out of the police station with an assurance from Nasir that if anything came in on the whereabouts of Soren's parents or other relatives they would be notified. Fourteen years later and Soren and Ike had yet to spend more than a week apart and Soren's parents in the eyes of the law were Elena and Greil.

The fondness he felt towards the woman for taking him in was tested every time he went through the lunch line and she piled more food on his tray than he could eat while giving a twenty minute lecture on why eating right was so important. Ike using Soren's small stature and frail appearance to duck out of his mom's lecture on health was a common occurrence, and as such, Soren learned when to nod during said lecture and at the same time let his eyes wander around the cafeteria to find an excuse to leave.

His eyes slid past Mist without hesitation. It would have been easy for him to point out her too short skirt to her mother and that would be that. However she was the one to walk in on him and Ike that one time they thought they were alone and, well…it was best he leave her out of it. Mist was flirting with Boyd who was sitting next to an oblivious Ike (which was lucky for Boyd, because if Ike knew that his little sister was flirting with his friend, Boyd would have been in for a very awkward conversation that involved vaguely threatening gestures and a lot of glaring).

Whispering at the next table were Elincia and Aimee, most likely debating the identity of the timid girl Ike had been seen with last Saturday at the Tellius Tavern (the hot spot for high schoolers). Soren would let them guess for a week, tormenting themselves with who the Mystery Girl was. Then he would tell them that it was Ike's cousin Hector's fiancé Florina, who came with him to meet the family before the big day. Then he would watch their faces flash indecisively between happiness that the object of their affection was still single (as far as they knew), and disappointment that Ike's hot cousin would soon be off the market.

It wasn't that Soren liked causing pain, that wasn't it at all. He just enjoyed watching the girls who were after his boyfriend realize that yet another guy on their Hottest Hunks list was unavailable. When Boyd's older brother Oscar was revealed to be dating the school counselor, Tanith, similar enjoyment on Soren's part was had.

Unfortunately for Soren, Elena thought them both wonderful examples of how a lady should be and therefore they would not serve as a distraction for her.

Next over was Mia, the bouncy yet not annoying cheerleader. While Soren did know something about her that would be lecture-worthy, as a part of a secret relationship himself, he didn't want to out her relationship with Rhys, the school nurse who was sick more often than the students.

Sitting across from Mia was - perfect! Turning his back to Elena on the pretence of checking something in his backpack he caught Ilyana's eyes. Hunger flared in her eyes as she realized what he was asking of her and she broke off in mid-sentence to stand and swiftly taking her place behind Soren in the lunch line. Right on cue her stomach grumbled and Soren was free. Elena, her ears picking up the sound of a hungry teenager, gave him a smile and made a 'move along' gesture with her hands.

Walking away, Soren breathed a sigh of relief. He caught his boyfriend's eye and. and darn it he should be feeling frustration with Ike for pulling the same trick again not finding the 'please spare my life' look adorable.

Maybe he'd tell Devdan Ike had requested his tutoring service the next time he saw him or something and they could call it even.


End file.
